I have been in training since February for my first 10K (that’s 6.2 miles for you that thought like I did it was 10 miles)! I worked with a YMCA training team in my area and built up to it gradually. Saturday was the day!

I lined up at the starting line with 40,000 others. There were elite runners, joggers, wheelchair racers and walkers. I fit into the latter group.

This is the crowd in front of me.

This is the crowd behind me. I was in the next to the last wave and there were 3500 in my wave and 3500 in the one behind me. Such a sea of people.

This is me approaching the finish line 6.2 miles later. I accomplished this feat in 1 hour, 50 minutes and 14 seconds. Not that I am competitive at all, but I beat my training partner’s time by 41 seconds.

The day was glorious and I helped to raise $250 for the Massey Cancer Center at VCU. So good for me and good for others, too!

Sometimes it is the little things in life that give me joy. Like a stop at a local shop and finding a little pile of vintage buttons with a $3 price tag.

Then you start thumbing through them and find two Bakelite buttons (bottom right), 7 glass buttons (four black at the top and the three white at the bottom) and a complete set of celluloid buttons with the cutest black and ecru checked pattern on them. With a few other vintage plastic ones thrown in for good measure.

That is what makes this girl’s heart sing!

“We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts.”― Dietrich Bonhoeffer

I was honored to be asked by a co-worker what she could do with a vintage velvet dress that belonged to her Grandmother. Whatever was made was to be given to her sisters that were also her bridesmaids.

My initial thought was to make some of the some of these flowers, but the velvet burned and would not melt. It also was too heavy to hold the shape.

I then went to my old fave and added a bit of a new twist ala Kim. After I tore the velvet in strips and then gathered them, I then added some fun fur yarn and a clip earring or necklace bit to the top. On the back is a balsam wood disc to cover up the stitches and a pinback.

I then ran the edges of the flowers over the candle and it turned them brown and melted them a bit. I am thrilled with the end result. Below are some close ups of each.

Pretty, no? I also took some of the beaded trim and sewed it to a headband for her to wear in her hair for the wedding. It will be her something old.

It all started at the new Love of Jesus Thriftique in the west end. I found salt shaker and set out to look for his mate. I searched high and low, but no twin. He was only a dollar so I thought, he’s kind of cool, I will get him anyway.

I got home and did some internet research and found out the companion piece I was looking for was a lady! I also found out his name is Mr. Pickwick.

Back this week to the Thriftique! I walk in the front door and immediately inside is the jewelry case. I stop to check out the case and right on top, like she is sitting there waiting for me to return, is the lady pepper shaker.

I notice on her back is not the name Pickwick as the internet research I did was calling her. I then Googled Artone England (the marking on it) and salt and pepper shakers and find out they are part of a set of 6 shakers. They are based on Charles Dickens characters. The lady is Little Nell.

I guess I might make one more trip back to see if I can find any of the other 4!

I used an alphabet game tile that I painted black on the edges. There is a perfect little recessed area on both sides so I painted the inside of that area on both sides to make it POP a bit. On the letter side I used a straight pin to scrape off the messies I made painting it. I never stay in the lines! Once it was painted and then dried I used polycrylic to coat the paint.

On the blank side of the game piece, I cut a square of Greek bible text to fit inside. I found this image. I cut out the heart part of it. The Bible page was antiqued with some dark stain. Over the top, after sealing it with mod podge to prevent the air bubbles, I used Mod Podge Dimensional Glaze to seal it.

I then drilled it for the jump ring and than threaded some seed beads onto the jump ring before I sealed it. I made the initial of each recipient and one for me, too!

The criteria for the swap was to use a game piece and have a heart on it. Nothing too Valentiney. I made a tag to go with them.

I recently happened upon a collection of Wade’s Red Rose Tea Whimsies at a local thrift shop. Since I watch Antiques Roadshow, I know that a group is more valuable then its parts.

Several years ago, I came upon this fellow at a local estate sale.

I had no idea what he was, but thought he was kind of cool and he was only 25 cents. On the back he was marked Wade England.

Fast forward to the thrift shop and there were 20 pieces and my brain clicked to the little figure I had. I asked if she would make me a deal if I took them all. They were marked $2.50 each. She let me have them for $30 for all. I said sold, she wrapped them and I brought them home.

Whisper Wade “Whimsies” into many people’s ears and it will mean only one thing…small animal figurines from the George Wade Pottery of Burslem, England.

Wade began in 1810 in Burslem, England, with a small workshop and a single pottery oven making mostly bottles and pottery items. He soon turned his attention to the more profitable ceramics needs of textile mills, which supported the company into the late 1920s. As well as industrial ceramics, Wade produced a line of beautiful figurines, many Art Deco. These were so popular that animal figures were added. The line ran into a snag when it was found that the Cellulose finish turned yellow and peeled off with age. In the late 1930s some models were reissued with a high gloss underglaze finish. (Source)